It’s not a win that will be viewed in the history books as one of the great wins in BYU football history. It is, however, a victory over a rival in the final scheduled chapter of the rivalry. And maybe, more importantly, it’s a win that nearly locks up a bowl game bid for this season.

“We’re one step closer to extending the season and getting those valuable [bowl] practices,” said BYU coach Kalani Sitake. “And that’s important for us to develop our young men. Our players, when they’re going through that slump, I think we just reminded them that winning is hard and not to ever take it for granted. So remember this feeling. Stay humble and let’s just get ready for the next one.”

Love and learn

BYU players have had tough postgame conversations the past month. So they enjoyed the feeling of victory once again. While the media waited outside BYU’s locker room for the postgame press conference, BYU players could be heard singing ‘Rise & Shout’ as they celebrated the big win.


“Love and learn for sure is a lot better when we’re winning,” Puka Nacua said laughingly. “…But to see Clark [Barrington], Blake [Freeland], a lot of the guys out there just having a blast. It’s nice to see smiles on everybody’s faces and not a forced a smile. When you win, everything feels a lot better. Whether you’re beat up or you feel fine, it’s always good when you win.”

Stay the course

BYU gets a much-needed bye week after going ten consecutive weeks without a break. Then they return to action on November 19 for Senior Day against Utah Tech. Before closing out the regular season against Stanford in Palo Alto on November 26.

“Not a change to approach to anything,” said BYU quarterback Jaren Hall. “You know, for weeks, we didn’t hear anything but negative talk. So now there’s going to be a lot of positive talk. We can’t pay attention to that either and we’ve got to keep the same mindset that got us here this win tonight. Just focus on ourselves –the guys in this locker room, our families– that’s all that matters. So just staying humble and understand that we’ve got a couple of more games in the schedule to take care of.”

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio.

BYU football snaps losing skid in gutsy 31-28 road win over Boise State


For the first time in 37 days, the Cougars are in the win column.

BYU football exorcised the demons of its past winless month in dramatic fashion, with Puka Nacua’s all-time performance and late heroics lifting the Cougars over Boise State in a 31-28 victory Saturday night in Boise.

Nacua hauled in 14 receptions for 157 yards and a pair of touchdowns, with his second score putting the Cougars ahead for good with a diving, juggling grab on a perfectly thrown end zone fade from Jaren Hall. Even more improbable than the catch itself was that it came on fourth down, where BYU had converted just five of 21 such opportunities on the season prior to Nacua’s clutch effort.

“He’s one of the best players in college football,” head coach Kalani Sitake said of Nacua.

Big time players make big time plays, after all.

Nacua’s touchdown was impressive, but initially it was far from the dagger, as the Broncos still had just under two minutes to operate and had already scored on three of four second half drives.

It wouldn’t matter. BYU’s defense rose to the occasion and stopped Boise in just four plays, with Jakob Robinson batting away the final Broncos pass to officially drown BYU’s drought.

“We knew the game was on the line,” linebacker Ben Bywater said of the final drive. “Somebody’s gotta come make a play at the end, and (Jakob) did that. Our guys had faith we could make this win happen, and we went out and did it. These nail biter games come down to mental toughness, and we just had that faith.”

Hall rebounded from two painful, early interceptions to pass for a career high 377 yards, adding another 82 yards on the ground and accounting for all four of BYU’s touchdowns. Running back Hinckley Ropati broke out for 110 total yards on eight touches with a score, taking a screen pass from Hall 48 yards to the end zone for the junior college transfer’s first career BYU touchdown.

“I don’t know if you’re gonna be able to stop him from getting on the field now,” Sitake said of Ropati.

The win brings BYU to 5-5 on the season, just a win shy of reaching bowl eligibility in a campaign that was dangerously close to being a complete disaster had the Cougars failed in Boise.

“Love and learn is a lot better when you’re winning,” Nacua said.